[MISSION FINALE] Lt Cmdr Wil Ukinix - The Great Gig In The Sky (Part 2)

[Wil Ukinix]

((Type 18 shuttle))

CUE FINALE MUSIC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPGv8L3a_sY

The antigraviton beam was still refracted, but now it had enough pep to be able to support all of the reflection Indys, even if they were never to get out.  The “Real” Indy, who was winning the race, started moving again, albeit slower than before.

Ukinix: Yes!  Take *that*, stupid anomaly!

Wil smiled as he addressed the computer.

Ukinix: Computer, replicate a cold syntheholic India Pale Ale in a bottle. ::To himself:: Non-alcoholic, just in case.

The replicator made fast work of the request, before a confirmation tone chirped.  He reached over to grab the bottle, before turning to watch the show out of the window.

Wil smiled.  A wave of cautious relief washed over him.

Ukinix: ::Lifting bottle in direction of Indy in distance:: You bloody beauty.  Here’s Cheers!  ::Taking swig of syntheholic beer, before screwing up nose and looking at bottle in hand:: Ergh, bloody cat’s piss.

He looked up again at the window, and smiled.  The Indy was going to get out…

As for himself, he wasn’t so sure.  But he knew that risk when he left the bridge and left Carter in charge.  Besides, with so many reflection Indys around, after the “real” Indy got out there was a chance he could convince them to help him get out – once he could prove to them that he was the “real” Wil Ukinix.

He took another swig of the non-alcoholic beer (and grimaced a little afterwards at the taste) as the Indy’s tractor moved further and further along the antigraviton beam.  Suddenly, it began to move quicker as thrusters seemingly engaged.  It moved quickly, this time what seemed to be towards the beginning of the antigraviton “line”.

Ukinix: Yes!  They’re gonna make it-

Suddenly klaxon warnings began to sound all around him.

Computer: Warning.  Proximity alert.  Vessel inbound on a collision course.

Ukinix: Computer, identify vessel.

Computer: ::Confirmation chirp:: Class six probe, origin USS Kitty Hawk, registration N-C-C-seven-one-eight-six-three.  Collision in three seconds.

Ukinix: Dammit…

The shuttle rocked as the probe careened into the shields of the Type 18 shuttle.  Wil adjusted the shuttle’s thrusters to ensure that it didn’t move off course, and that the modified phasers kept doing their thing to get the Indy out.

Computer: ::Warning tone:: Shield strength at sixty-eight percent. ::Warning tone:: Warning.  Proximity alert.  Vessel inbound on a collision course.

Wil didn’t need to ask this time.  He knew it was another probe.  He quickly surmised that he may not be as fortunate with a second or third probe hitting the shuttle.  He couldn’t manoeuvre though to avoid them, because that would collapse the antigraviton beam... but he thought back to one idea he’d had several hours earlier – interfering with the probes so that it all but disabled them.

Ukinix: Computer.  Record log entry on a rotating encryption frequency, embed continuous Starfleet probe interfacing commands, and relay on a wide band targeted at the second subspace antenna on the USS Independence-B.

Computer: ::Confirmation tone:: Signal relay confirmed. Recording.

Ukinix: First Officer’s Log, I think I’m about six supplementals deep by now.  ::Slight chuckle, long pause:: … I’m recording this log entry and relaying it on a rotating encryption frequency, and bouncing it off the Indy’s subspace antenna to interfere with the probes.  That should slow them down and blunt their impact on this shuttle.  This is my last log entry before the Indy escapes, and maybe the last one for a while… possibly forever.   Once the Indy gets out, I won’t give up getting out of here.  But I know the odds are against me.  So far that reason - ::pausing, taking a deep breath:: I just want pass on a message to-

Wil stopped for a moment as he felt the muscles in his throat tighten, and tears welling in his eyes.  He swallowed for a moment to try and get his voice back to normal, but it was a losing battle.  Instead, he continued his log entry with a strained, wavering voice.

Ukinix: -pass on a message to Mum, Commander Stacey Ukinix at Starfleet HQ, and Dad, Anacem Ukinix.  ::Crying:: I love you both.  If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have been a Starfleet officer.  Grandma, Granddad, Aunt Sally, love you and will miss you.  ::Sniff:: Keehani – I’ve gotten to know you over the last few months, and you’ve become like a sister to me.  Look after Ambass- after Rivi, okay?  And Bec too, she’s got a bright future and we need more Aussies in the fleet.  And to the whole remaining crew, be true to yourself, and remember what Starfleet stands for-

Computer: ::Error tone:: Signal relay disconnected.  Warning.  Proximity alert.  Vessel inbound on a collision course.

The ship rocked once again from a collision, but this time it wasn’t as violent.  There was only a slight shudder.

Computer: ::Warning tone:: Shield strength at sixty-four percent. ::Warning tone:: Warning.  Proximity alert.  Vessel inbound on a collision course.

Will looked out of the window.  Probes had suddenly become virtually inert.  They had lost velocity, and were flying around aimlessly.  The interference had worked.  He wiped his eyes against his sleeve to dry them, and smiled, as he watched the Indy located at the beginning of the refracted graviton beam.  The Defiant Class vessel vibrated and shook, and the graviton beam changed colour.  Lights flickered on their ship as systems appeared to falter.

And then suddenly it was gone.

The USS Independence-B was out of the anomaly.

With a smile through tears, Wil looked around at the reflection Indys, and the probes.  They all seemed suddenly lifeless, just rotating aimlessly through space in the anomaly, as if time had frozen.  Then, one by one, each of them turned bright, and dissipated into pure energy.  The brightness from each transitioning vessel made Wil shield his eyes from the bright light, until after around thirty seconds later the last reflection vessel faded into nothingness.

Then everything went black.  There were no dots.  No probes, no Indys, no shuttles except for the one he was in.  A quick check of the sensors console confirmed what he already suspected – nothing was out there.  He was alone.  He inhaled as his mind cast back to senior school, learning about Lieutenant John Kelly.

He covered his face with his hands at the realisation that he was heading for the same fate - dying alone in a spacecraft, cut off from the universe.

oO There’s nothing left.  No way out.  It’s over. Oo

Wil looked out between his fingers into the blackness of the void. 

Ukinix: This wasn’t how I thought things would end.

He sat back in his chair, and gave out a long, resigned sigh.

The shuttle’s engines powered down to conserve energy, which would give him ample time to reflect on his twenty-eight years of life before it drew to a close.

 

...and I am not frightened of dying, you know

Any time will do, I don't mind

Why should I be frightened of dying?

There's no reason for it, you've gotta go sometime

 

MISSION END!

Lieutenant Commander Wil Ukinix
Starfleet attaché and First Officer
Amity Outpost
V239511WU0